Duplicate-whist tray.



No. 794.046. PATENTED JULY 4. 1905. H. H. ROCKWELL.

DUPLICATE WHIST TRAY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10.1905.

DEALER HIiHHHHIW' INVENTOW No. 794.046. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905. H. H. ROCKWELL.

DUPLICATE WHIST TRAY.

APPLIOATION FILED IBB.10.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Will

ififliH! INVENTOH R mmmw-mw ATTO R N EY .iJHHHHIHiIN Patented July at, 1905.

ATENT OFIICE.

.HOSEA H. ROCKlVELL, OF lCLlVIlRA, NlGlN YORK.

IDUWUCMTE WHIIEBW" ll WAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,046, dated July 4-, 1905.

Application filed February 10, 1905. Serial No. 245,008-

To (bl/1 whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hosea ll. ROUKWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Ohennmg and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Duplicate lvhist Tray, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of the trays used in duplicate whist for holding the cards which constitute the several hands; and the object of my improvements is to provide a tray for this purpose which shall be strong and durable, light in weight, and convenient in handling.

The several features of novelty will appear hereinaftta. and will be pointed out more particularly in the claims.

I attain my object by the arrangement and construction of the several parts of the tray, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in. Which Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my improved tray; Fig. a central vertical section of the same; Fig. 3, a bottom plan view, and Figs. 4 and 5 detail. views illustrating the manner of constructing the tray.

Like letters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

A represents the base of the tray, which is formed, preferably, of sheet metal,(although. I do not restrict myself in this respect,) cut out, as illustrated in Fig. t, in the form of a Greek cross, with the sides and ends bent up at right angles along the broken lines. These bent-up sides are about a quarter of an inch high at the outer ends of the arms of the cross and toward the center are cut on a slight incline along the portions marked F, the said inclines beginning at a distance of about one-third the length of the arm from the outer ends and continuing to the point where the arms intersect, where the height of the sides is about three-sixteenths of an inch. At the center of this base portion there is fastened a square block of wood, cardboard, or other suitable material B to form the bottom of the Gill'tl-j JOClIOtS, said block or stened to the base by center piece being if.

means of a rivet (l, which passes through a, countersunk hole ll in the metal blank and is headed over at the top and bottom llush with the bottom surface of the base A. and flush with the top surface of the block l3. After the parts it and B are assembled the bottom and sides of the part A are covered with cloth, leather, leatherette, or other suitable material, after which a cover-plate O, of cardboard or other suitable material, bound or covered with the same material as used in covering the base portion A, is glued to the center block I) and to the sides of the arms of the base. This coveirflrlte I preferably make octagonal in form and extend it out over the arms of the base portion to cover two-thirds of the pockets l) formed thereby. By reason of the incline given to the upper edges of the pocket sides at F the center of the cover-plate, where it is secured to the block I), will be slightly depressed, and at this center portion I stamp or mark in any suitable manner the words or characters indicating the position in which the hands are to be played. .lin Fig. 1 these clnn'acters consist of an arrow, pointing toward the upper pocket, and underneath it the word. Dealer. These words and characters are usually stamped in. gold-leaf and where the surface of the tray is perfectly level they soon become worn and obliterated by reason of the handling and the rubbing of the trays upon one another in manipulating them. By depressing the center of the cover-plate where these marks are placed I provide a raised protecting edge or surface around all sides, thereby preventing wear at this point, with the result that these distinguishing marks will be maintained in a clear and perfect condition for the life of the trays. The outer ends of the pockets are provided with thumb-holes at 1*], whereby the ends of the cards may be grasped between the thumb and finger and the ends raised sutliciently to withdraw the cards from the pockets. By reason of the beveled inner ends of the pocket sides openings are formed at each corner of the center piece 13, so that dust or dirt accumulating in the pockets can be readily blown out. The cards are held firmly in place by the inclosing sides of the pockets and can only be removed by lifting the outer ends and drawing them out over the outer pocket sides.

By constructing the base portion A of metal the tray is made strong and durable, so that it will not be broken by careless usage. By reason of the form given to the trays they may be stacked in a box and read ily removed therefrom, since the arms of the cross provide ready means for taking hold of the trays for this purpose.

\Vhile I prefer to construct the trays as herein illustrated, as thereby I attain a light and artistic form and appearance, I do not limit myself in this respect. The cover-plate C may be given other than the octagonal form, and the manner of covering the parts and fastening them together may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my improved tray, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, i

l. A whist-tray in the form of a Greek cross, having a pocket for cards in each arm thereof and a cover-plate extending from the center of the cross out over the arms to partially cover the pockets.

2. A whist-tray in the form of a Greek cross, having a pocket for cards in each arm thereof and a cover-plate extending from the center of the cross out over the arms to partially cover the pockets, the upper surface of said cover-plate adjacent the center being depressed for the purpose set forth.

3. A whist-tray comprising pockets for cards disposed about a center, and a coverplate extending from the center outwardly to partially cover the pockets, the upper surface of the cover-plate adjacent the center being depressed for the purpose set forth.

I. A whist-tray comprising a base portion cut in the form of a Greek cross with the sides and ends of the arms turned up at right angles to form pockets, a center piece forming the bottom of said pockets, and a cover-plate extending from the center piece part way to the outer ends of the pockets.

5. A whist-tray comprising a base portion cut in the form of a Greek cross with the sides and ends of the arms turned up at right angles to form pockets, a center piece secured thereto to form the bottom of the pockets, and a cover-plate secured to the center piece and extending therefrom part way to the outer ends of the pockets, the edges of the pocket sides where overlapped by the cover-plate being downwardly inclined toward the center piece.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOSEA I-I. ROCKIVELL.

IVitnesses G. IV. Boon,

NELLIE HALLERAN. 

